Tear Jerker / Brotherband

• The utter disgracing of the Herons after Zavac steals the Andomal from under their noses. They've just proven themselves, only to have it snatched away. They set out after the pirate, despite the danger, as their only chance to escape living under the degradation and the crushing bitterness of almost everyone in town. Even worse? Almost every one of them is an outsider, unpopular for some reason or another. This was their chance to be heroes, to be not just accepted, but honored...and because of one stupid mistake, it's all been snatched away.
• Ingvar getting shot in the storming of Limmat during The Invaders. It's the first time any of the Herons has gotten seriously injured and it introduces them viscerally to the horrors of war. His wound becomes infected in The Hunters, after the Herons are already far out to sea. The infection and the resulting fever comes within a hair's width of killing him, while the other Brotherband members (especially Hal and Edvin) can only watch and hope something they can do makes a difference.
• In a bizarre way, the sinking of Nightwolf. Hal sabotages the ship to keep Tursgud and his crew from catching them while they're trying to escape Socorro. It works too well, ripping the stern out and sinking the ship before her crew can react to save themselves. Despite what a pain Tursgud was during training and his turning to slaving and piracy over his "humiliation", even most of the Herons are horrified at the sight.
• Ulf taking a stab wound in the side during the invasion of Tabork. What makes it worse is the utter suddenness of it — Lydia and Edvin leading the rowers and Kloof in a surprise flanking attack utterly shatters the Tualagi defense and the mood is composed of triumph only dimmed by exhaustion...until a devastated wail draws the heroes' attention to Wulf cradling his ashen, unconscious brother.